Page Twelve THE MICHIGAN DAILY Wednesday, May 8, 1974 Protest marks Ford appearance Vice President Ford addresses gradua ting seniors at Criser Arena Saturday. By GORDON ATCHESON Vice President Gerald Ford's quarter-century love affair with the people of Michigan at least temporarily turned a little sour last weekend when the Univer- sity graduate returned to his al- ma mater and found the atmos- phere less than hospitable. Always the darling of the state's Republicans and his Grand Rapids constituents, who elected him to 13 consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Re- presentatives, Ford suffered a barage of boos, hisses, and ob- scenities as the keynote speak- er at Saturday's commence- ment. MOST OF the nearly 15,000 people - graduates wearing druid-like ro b e s, families and friends decked out in their go- to-meeting garb - who filled Crisler Arena politely applaud- GROUP GUITAR LESSONS 6 Consecutive Weeks, Materials Included, ONLY $12.00 We also teach flute, bonio, recorder, bass, sax, drums, piano, oboe, and Clarinet. FOR ENROLLMENT CALL 769-4980: ANN ARBOR MUSIC MART 336 SOUTH STATE Open 9.30 am.-9 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; Sat. 't i 6:30 ed the Vice President. Yet some members of t h e audience, several hundred at most, continually punctuated Ford's address with derogatory remarks. And they were joined by the rest in a deafening out- burst as Ford attempted to de- fend President Nixon's decision to release transcripts in lieu of actual tapes of controversial Watergate conversations. Ford spent most of the day in Ann Arbor. _Following t h e graduation ceremonies he a t - tended a luncheon at the Lea- gue, returned to his old fra- ternity house, and paid a visit to the Bentley Library on North Campus, where many of his papers have been deposited for the past decade. THE PROTEST, planned days in advance, began in the hazy morning sunlight - several hours before the Vice Presi- dent's arrival at the arena. The rag-tag band- bitterly attacked Nixon and condemned Ford for standing in the Chief Executive's corner with numerous pamphlets and chants. Ford got inside without much trouble, but as he stepped to the lectern, the fireworks were touched off and the result re- sounded throughout the build- ing. The demonstrators, unfurling banners and shouting, "F o r d has the same idea; impeach- ment is not enough," drowned out the Vice President's opening sentence. Members of the aud- ience who had earlier viewed the protesters with smiles or complete disregard erupted. THE BANNERS were pulled down and torn to shreads. One man wearing a suit and tie be- gan to club a long-haired youth. The police closed in, pushing the protesting group back the way it had come. The disruptions continued sporadically after the police forced the original wave of de- monstrators out of Crisler - often with billy clubs - a n d locked the doors behind them. Ford seemed unaffected by the activities directed against him. He proceeded with h i s speech, deviating little from the prepared text and making only one oblique reference to t h e protesters. HOWEVER, the heckling was the worst he has ever been sub- jected to, an aide later con- ceded, and apparently the most vocal at any University c o m- mencement exercises - e v e n those held during the politically turbulent late 60's. While the audience as a whole remained respectful through the body of Ford's speech - an ex- tensive and at times obscure analogy between the Maoist philosophy and government in China and the American govern- mental system - his closing re- marks on Nixon drew a harsh response from all corners of the arena. "I have every confidence in the ultimate wisdom and jus- tice of the American people, even though that elusive thing called 'public opinion' may fall into short-range errors," the Vice President said as the voic- es of disagreement started to rise. "I CANNOT understand how anyone can criticize the Presi- dent for 'taking his case to the people' unless . ." he stopped as the crowd drowned out the sound of his own voice. "Un- less," he began again, '"'unless wlat the critic really wants is to negate the verdict of t h e people." Ford added: "I cannot imag- ine any other country in t h e world where the opposition would seek, and the chief execu- tive would allow, the dissemina- tion of his most private and per- sonal conversations with h i s staff ..." The symphony of outrage reached a crescendo but s u d- denly turned to a tune if agree- ment as the Vice President fin- ished the thought: ". . whics, to be honest, do not exactly con- fer sainthood on anyone con- cerned." See HECKLING, Page 13 { " o mm" The Ml'ilehl*llgan Daily f 1 OFFICE HOURS Circulation Dept. . 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 764-0558 Classified Dept. . . 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 764-0557 Display Dept. . . a 12 noon-3 p.m. 764-0554 Please try to coil our offices during these hours. Thank you, BUSINESS STAFF [ CATCH 5 peice rock and roll Tonight at 3411 .:St. Ann Arhor 769- 5960 mmm. opow"